The General Directorate of Drug Enforcement, in cooperation with the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Interior (MOI), recently organised a webinar to raise awareness on the harms and dangers of illegal drugs. The webinar was led by Lieutenant Abdullah Qasim.
The webinar started with an introduction of the General Directorate of Drug Enforcement – the authority concerned with implementing the operations of controlling and combating various drug crimes that occur in violation of Law No (9) of 1987 and its amendments regarding drug control. The introduction also explained the work strategy pursued by the department based on reducing supply and demand for dangerous materials and psychotropic substances.
Lieutenant Qasim discussed the functions of the General Directorate of Drug Enforcement, such as preventing, and controlling drug crimes and psychotropic substances, receiving reports and complaints, gathering evidence, carrying out investigation, and cooperating with other relevant departments to reach the perpetrators in preparation for bringing them to trial.
The Directorate’s functions include combating and controlling crimes of cross-border smuggling through air, sea and land ports in coordination with concerned authorities, and combating and controlling the cultivation of narcotic plants or their promotion inside the country.
The webinar also discussed a number of their work aspects that raise awareness on the risks that drugs cause to individual and society, and the types of medicines and medical drugs that are prohibited in the country without approved prescriptions.
The lieutenant warned the public against carrying belongings of others when travelling to Qatar and to always check the content to avoid legal accountability.